Adventures and Misadventures of a Science Fiction Writer

Gerald Brandt

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I agreed to three hours of programming on Sunday, and I ended up doing four. That’s kind of nuts, but it was actually okay. All of the rooms were within one floor of each other, so walking time was minimal. I had two back-to-back sessions, then a one-hour lunch break, then two more back-to-back sessions, and that took us to the closing ceremonies.

First up was an hour of readings. I joined Sherry Peters and Melinda Friesen for this, to try and improve the audience numbers. To be honest, it didn’t really work. Still, our tiny audience was nice, and there were questions. I read the first scene from Avians, Sherry read from Mabel the Lovelorn Dwarf, (the first of her series) and Melinda read a suspenseful scene from Subversion, the sequel to Enslavement. We kept our readings short, in the five to seven minute range.

Right after that was a panel on Critique Group Survival with Lindsay and Daria. I was grafted onto this panel late in the game because the convention planners didn’t want to make my Sunday so hectic. But when Lindsay asked me, I jumped at the chance. Their critique group made a huge difference to my novel opening, and quite likely helped make it good enough to get a publishing contract. See this older post for more. So I talked about that, and we urged the writers present to seek out critique groups. Take your pages. Leave your ego at home. The harshest criticism will do the most good. Try to find a group with at least some members in the same genre.

Lunch, and the three of us joined a group of other writers in the hotel’s restaurant: Gerald Brandt, Craig Russell, Sherry Peters, Melinda Friesen. Craig entertained us all with a devious thought experiment about the desirability of intelligence and honesty, and it gave me a chance to unwind for a bit.

Next up was Lindsay’s panel on Aviation & Airships. She had everyone fill out a five-question quiz. Not exactly True or False, the choices were more like Plausible and Improbable, or something similar. The idea was to look at some tropes and misconceptions, like, “If a pistol bullet is fired through the skin of an airliner at altitude, there will be an explosive decompression.” While the audience was scribbling, we talked about some aviation fiction scenes that missed the mark. Lindsay’s questions were devious enough that no-one got all five right, at least not by our definition. Two guys tied with four out of five, and we settled it with a run-off question. In the end, I gave both of them signed copies of Avians. I don’t think my book was the draw here. I think it was the chance to participate and compete that drew people to this panel. Lindsay gets all the credit on this one – I was dubious, but I now count this a lesson learned. I’m already scheming to do something a bit similar at my next convention.

Last was How Do Writers Read? This panel featured Author Guest of Honour Kelley Armstrong, DAW author Gerald Brandt, and Den Valdron, who is with Five Rivers, same as me. I originally planned to nod politely while the better-known authors did most of the talking. However, for personal reasons, Gerald asked to step out of the moderator role, and I was asked to fill in. Not quite at the last minute; I had four hours to prepare. But during those four hours, I had three hours of panels. The show must go on. I basically winged it from the program description. Luckily, all the panelists were in fine form, and it was a fun panel.

As you can see, I had no time on Sunday to attend anyone else’s stuff. Said some quick goodbyes in the Dealer Room, and then I had to run, because we had a drive home ahead of us, and a deadline to retrieve our dog from the kennel.

This was the most involvement I’ve had in any con, and it could have been grueling, especially with a schedule that put so much on one day. It could have been, but it wasn’t: I had a really good time at Keycon this year.

In May, I’ll be in Winnipeg for Keycon. The organizers consider me a published author, which is nice of them since Keycon 34 runs from May 19th to 21st, and Avians won’t actually be released until August 1st. Blatant plug: Avians is available for pre-order now at Five Rivers, Kobo, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

I get to do stuff.

FRIDAY

On Friday evening, at 8:00PM, I’m attempting Miyazaki and Flight with Timothy Gwyn: Flight has fascinated humankind for centuries. Join our panelists as they discuss anime master Hayao Miyazaki’s use of flight in his films, and how they’ve inspired writers and fans alike.

Hayao Miyazuki’s anime works, especially his Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, have been a big influence on my fiction. He portrayed some lovely and fantastic flying machines: airships, multi-wing flying fortresses, jet powered gliders, and more. Not only that, he made the machines and their flight characteristics integral to his plots. The other panelists are still TBA.

SATURDAY

Saturday, I have it easy.

From 11:00AM to 12:00 noon, I present Alternative Aviation in Science Fiction with Timothy Gwyn: From Autogyros to Zeppelins: a catalogue of unusual aircraft past, present and future. A look at the strengths and weaknesses of each, plus how much technology is needed to build them, and how well they fit into different sub-genres of SF. Examples from noteworthy fiction, and how they played a role in plot or worldbuilding. Do you need air transportation in the age of steam, or on an alien world? Alternative aviation may hold the answers you’re looking for. Remember: getting there is half the fun!

I did this slideshow at When Words Collide last year, with Lindsay Kitson’s help. She has offered to run the projector and help again. Wait, did she say help or was it heckle?

After that, I’m free to roam around and take in friend’s panels. Such as Lindsay’s, and also Daria Patrie’s. I’m looking forward to How to Edit Your Own Work, and Why You Need an Editor, with Lindsay Kitson, J. Boone Dryden, Diane Walton and Daria Patrie, Point of View, with Gerald Brandt, Melinda Friesen, Lindsay Kitson, and Daria Patrie, Women in Speculative Fiction with Kelley Armstrong, Tamsen McDonough, Lindsay Kitson, and Van Kunder, and Critique Group Survival with Lindsay Kitson and Daria Patrie. I’m in their critique group, and it’s been invaluable.

SUNDAY

Sunday, I’m busier.

From 11:00AM to 12:00 noon, I’m doing the Book Reading with Timothy Gwyn, Sherry Peters and Melinda Friesen: Timothy Gwyn reads from Avians, Sherry Peters reads from Mabel the Mafioso Dwarf, and Melinda Friesen reads from Subversion. A question and answer session follows the readings. Stay until the end to receive a free ticket for a chance to win $40.00 in Dealers Room Dollars. One ticket, per person, per Reading Session. Draw to be held Sunday at noon.

Sherry and I go back several years, and I’m looking forward to meeting Melinda.

From 2:00PM to 3:00PM it’s Aviation and Believable Airships and Aircraft in Science Fiction with Timothy Gwyn and Lindsay Kitson: An interactive session with two pilots who are also writers. Lindsay Kitson and Timothy Gwyn tackle the credible and incredible in aviation fact and fiction. Learn how getting aviation right can enhance your story. Some pointers on how to keep it real with aircraft and airship scenes that actually work.

Lindsay and I both cringe at some of the things we see written about aircraft. In exchange for putting up with our grousing, audience members brave enough to take a quiz will have a chance to win one signed and dated author’s copy of Avians. Remember, that’s a pre-release first edition.

I might give away a second copy at one of my other slots. It’ll be a surprise.

From 3:00PM to 4:00PM, I have How Do Writers Read Books? With Kelley Armstrong, Gerald Brandt, Timothy Gwyn and Den Valdron: Can a writer read a book for pure enjoyment without critiquing the writing? Can genre writers read books within their own field without being overly influenced by those books? What books do writers read? What books do writers recommend aspiring writers to read?

This will be a nice way to finish up. Gerald Brandt helped me write queries and gave me great advice on a word-count problem. I’ve seen Kelley Armstrong at cons, but never really spoken to her, despite us having a name in common. Like me, Den Valdron is with Five Rivers Publishing, and I was at the launch of his The Mermaid’s Tale at When Words Collide in Calgary last summer.

If I can write this post in not much more than an hour, I can have it up the same day. We’ll see. Close, but no cigar!

I started with Sherry Peters’ Taming Your Inner Saboteur workshop. It’s based on her non-fiction book of the same title, and it tackles all the things that hold writers back. For me, this meant learning to set manageable goals so that I don’t dread starting big chores. Other people at this workshop spoke frankly and deserve confidentiality, so that’s all I’m saying. Got things that hold you back? Check out Sherry’s book.

After that, all I did was blue-pencils and socializing, so as a guide to KeyCon, this blog won’t help much from here on down.

First, a blue-pencil session with David Weber, Guest of Honour and author of the Honor Harrington series of military SF novels, plus some other hard SF and even a YA or two. For him, I pulled one of my more technical SF pieces out of my briefcase. I didn’t think he’d read all 2500 words of “Ill Wind” given the limited time, but he turns out to be a very rapid reader. He says he likes to mostly write novels, and when he does do short stories, he prefers to work in the 10,000 word range. While my story is largely about technology, it was the character relationships and rather nasty future society that he wanted to see expanded. He thought it could make a nice opening to a novel, or if I wasn’t looking to take it that far, it could grow to 5000 words or so to flesh out those aspects.

Second, an almost last-chance decision to sign up for a slot with Liana K, the con’s toastmistress. If you check out her Wikipedia entry, you’ll see she has a rich variety of qualifications, but I chose to seek her editing expertise to get input on a YA story called “Fermi High.” It’s about changing schools, fitting in, and roller-skating on the moon. Liana spotted a retro feel to it, and I admitted it’s partly a homage to Heinlein’s “The Menace From Earth.” Liana gave me a crash course on YA that left me reeling. Example: “don’t just show teen insecurity- wallow in it!” I’d love to talk to her about my novel sometime, I have a feeling that “eye-opening” wouldn’t cover it.

Which brings me to: Third, a blue-pencil session with Gerald Brandt, not on my novel, but on the query letters I am writing for it. I thought I had the basics about right, but he felt there was entirely too much of it, and he found ways to order it better and make it tighter. He’d like to see my revised version, so I have homework tomorrow.

I finished the day in the restaurant with a table that ebbed and flowed as people wound things up and headed out. Finally got to exchange more than ten words with Karen Dudley, and to meet her family. Last chance to talk to Craig Russell, author of Black Bottle Man. We’d been following each other around all weekend, but never had time to actually have a conversation. He left to tackle the drive out to Brandon before the deteriorating weather made it any nastier. I was also facing a drive, although heading east to Kenora would lead me toward better weather, not worse. Told Gerald Brandt and Lindsay Kitson how much they added to my enjoyment of the weekend. Lucked out in bumping into both Leia Getty and Holly Geely while waiting for the elevator, so I was able to say goodbye to them, too.

Made my way back to KeyCon for the first scheduled events of the day at 10:00. I was keen to attend Gerald Brandt and Lindsay Kitson’s seminar on querying. For the most part, it sounds like I’m on the right track.

The sign-up sheets for the Blue Pencil sessions were nowhere to be found, so I just walked up to see David Annandale at eleven o’clock. He writes horror, and I had two flash fiction pieces in my briefcase that lean that way, so I produced them. He liked “Flesh is Weak” more than “Zeta Series.” Despite being only 200 words, (it was written to the stringent limit of Flash Friday) he felt it had evocative setting and enough characterization to make him curious. He gave me some pointers on how to enrich it for wider marketability. I was thinking of expanding it to about 300 words, he thought it could go to a thousand. “Zeta Series” was written for the Science Gone Wrong category of an Apex Magazine halloween competition, and takes a tongue-in-cheek look at making lab rats too smart for our own good. David pointed out that even for a piece written entirely in dialogue, it has too many exclamation marks. He thought it would work better as an audio presentation, like a little radio play. I’ll keep an eye open for opportunities like that.

By the time we were done, the sign-up sheets had appeared. I didn’t want to be greedy, so I put myself down for two: Sherry Peters and Gerald Brandt. I planned to come back and hog more slots if there were vacancies later. I could have been bolder; Chadwick Ginther’s sheet never did fill up.

I wandered off to the dealer’s room to kill a few minutes and didn’t make it past Ronald Hore and Leia Getty’s table. I remembered to tell Ron that I thought The Rat Queen was one of my favourite names for a spaceship. Pretty soon it was time for my next blue-pencil session.

For Sherry, who I have been bumping into for a couple of years now, I felt comfortable enough to produce an unfinished piece. “Aperitif” is about a mysterious encounter in a hospital. An old man anxiously awaiting major heart surgery is offered an unspecified alternative by a cryptic stranger. Sherry liked the free-flowing voice, and pointed out some places where more description would enrich the story. I’ll have to try and figure out a snappy ending before I can send it anywhere.

I went to see about some food and bumped into Chadwick Ginther, so we had lunch together. I asked him about that steampunk werewolf piece from his Friday reading, because I forgot to note the title. “A Taste for the Other Side,” appears in Beast Within 4: Gears & Growls. He also talked about how he developed Ted, his protagonist for the Thunder Road trilogy. Ted is an oil-patch roustabout with a gift for rubbing people (and Norse gods) the wrong way. Chadwick is completely different- he has a gift for visiting places and chatting to people. He calls it research, and admits that luck plays a big part in finding the right settings to enrich his writing, but I think it’s his willingness to let people he hardly knows show him around that makes the luck happen.

In the afternoon, I went to the Taming the Swampy Middle of Doom panel. Ronald Hore and David Annandale focused on how to structure the middle of a novel to keep the reader engaged. I remembered where I had first met David. He visited Kenora for one of the Word on the Water festivals and ran one of the very first workshops I went to. He is a die-hard Outliner, where Ronald is a reformed Pantser. I am a retroactive outliner at best, but David is persuasive when he talks about how outlining frees him from writer’s block and breaks the writing process into manageable chunks. He stays flexible by using an index card approach. Maybe it wouldn’t kill me.

There were still vacancies on the blue-pencil forms, so I shrugged and signed up for one with David Weber, Guest of Honour. This is the one I expected to book solid in minutes. Perhaps people are shy to show their work to such a successful author. I haven’t read anything by him this year, so while I was wandering through the dealer’s room, I picked up a used paperback of his 1999 book, Apocalypse Troll. Why not something newer? As an author who is just starting out, it sometimes helps me to read earlier works from ‘big names’. And hey, it’s a fun read.

I went to the panel on Establishing Setting with Chadwick Ginther, Gerald Brandt and David Annandale, AKA the men in black. Gerald likes to use GoogleMaps and it’s street view, but I was impressed that he goes the extra mile to research seasonal weather norms for a place he’s checking out. Chadwick specializes in Canadian settings within driving distance and likes to visit them in person and talk to locals. Me, I mostly build my worlds from scratch, so I was interested when David talked about modelling fictitious cities for his Warhammer series by studying earthly cities. David has to crank out planets rapidly, because he tends to waste them. In the bad way. But when he wants a waterlogged city, he looks at Venice, and so on. I should probably look at some mountainside cities. To, you know, add dimension.

The last thing of the day for me was the pair of readings by Evan Braun and Sherry Peters. This was my first exposure to Evan’s work; The Law of Radiance is the conclusion of The Watchers Chronicle. It just came out electronically today, with the print version some weeks away, although Evan had a printer’s proof for display. Sherry offered a preview of Mabel, a Mafioso Dwarf, which is coming out soon. It’s the sequel to her first novel, Mabel the Lovelorn Dwarf, which won a Writer’s Digest award.

I have to stop blogging and get moving, the Sunday schedule is starting.